Palestinians, US in talks

The Palestinian Prime Minister, Ahmed Qurie, and the US Middle East envoy William Burns held crucial first talks in Amman that both sides hope will resurrect the stalled Middle East peace process.

But before leaving for the talks Mr Qurie warned that any future meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, would "not be necessary" unless Israel stopped building its West Bank separation barrier.

"The barrier is destroying everything, and all effort will not be of use if the Israelis continue to build it," Mr Qurie said. He was not "imposing conditions" on talks, he said.

Reacting to condemnation of the barrier on Friday by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, Israel repeated its assertion that the wall was a necessary means of defence against Palestinian attacks.

Mr Annan's criticism was "a reward for all who use terror as a means to realise their political aims", the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Mr Burns stressed in the talks that the US was committed to the "road map", battered by Israeli settlement building and the refusal of Palestinian armed groups to agree to a truce.

Mr Burns was to meet Mr Sharon, and the Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom, in Jerusalem yesterday.